Internet Explorer 8 official launch

Microsoft is aiming to increase its 70 per cent share of the browser market with the official launch of Internet Explorer 8 today.

>> Internet Explorer 8: first look at the new features

More than a year after unveiling a beta version of IE8, Microsoft will make a final release of the browser available to download from 4pm.

Microsoft will also distribute Internet Explorer 8 as an update to IE7 via an upcoming Automatic Update.

Leila Martine at Microsoft said the company was confident that surfers who may have turned their back on IE in favour of other browsers such as Firefox would be impressed with IE8's features, reliability and security.

New features include InPrivate Browsing, which lets you browse the web without IE8 keeping a history of sites visted and WebSlices, a tool that keeps you updated about a particular item on a web page.

>> Internet Explorer 8: watch Web User's video

Microsoft said its speed tests, comparing IE8 with Chrome and Firefox 3 on 25 of the most commonly visited websites, showed IE8 to be the fastest.

However, on Wednesday, Google unveiled a new beta version of Chrome, which it said would be a testing ground for new features and improvements to speed.

In the next issue of Web User, on sale 26 March, we compare 14 top browsers for security, features, speed and more.

What do you think to Internet Explorer 8? Share your views in the Web User Forums.

>> Read Web User's technical and reviews editor's IE8 verdict.

www.microsoft.com/uk/windows/internet-explorer